A Midnight Song
by octoberdreamingx
Summary: Between a heavy rivalry between Humans and Lycanthropes, a tale of love begins. Can Mitchie bring herself to love something she was always told was a monster? AU Medieval-ish times.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** A Midnight Song

**Summary:** Between a heavy rivalry between Humans and Lycanthropes, a tale of love begins. Can Mitchie bring herself to love something she was always told was a monster?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Mitchie or any other Camp Rock character mentioned throughout this series. I do own Rivera, Lord Dante, and this plot.

Rated M to be safe.

First story up on . I've had this idea for a while, and hope that it comes out as good as I imagined it to be.

This first chapter is a little short, but will gradually get longer.

:)

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The moon was full tonight, casting a ghostlike glow within the large room. The dark magenta curtains surrounding the open balcony gently blew inward as a soft wind passed by. Outside, a young woman stood, her forearms resting on the rail as she stared up at the luminescent orb in the sky. Another soft wind passed, blowing her dark hair back behind her. She smiled, her ruby-brown eyes glowing and reflecting the light of the moon above her. Tonight was truly a beautiful night for moon gazing.

"Lady Michelle."

The young woman on the balcony didn't bother to look back, as she knew it was her own servant, Rivera. Rivera was the only one within this castle that called her by her full name, aside from her father. Everyone else knew to call her by her nickname, Mitchie.

"Yes?" Mitchie answered, still gazing at the moon above her.

"Your father wishes to speak with you…I suspect it's because of your absence from the council meeting." Rivera responded, her voice soft as usual.

Mitchie huffed quietly, "That, it may be." She sighed. "I don't understand why he insists that I must attend these meetings." Mitchie added, reluctantly turning away from the sky and moving towards her bed to grab her robe, "He knows how I feel about that topic. His _favorite_ topic."

Rivera played with her thumbs, a habit Mitchie had noticed over the short time she had been assigned to her.

"He does know, I assume," she said quietly, her cheeks flushing almost embarrassedly, "He probably just wants to change your mind."

Mitchie scoffed, "Like that'll ever happen," she mumbled, wrapping the silk robe around her evening gown, "What he does is cruel, and I won't stand for it."

Rivera smiled, "You've always had a very kind heart, Lady Michelle." She stated, "I admire that about you very much."

Looking up at her servant, Mitchie smiled, "Thank you, Rivera. I always try to see what's right." She responded. As Mitchie headed towards the door, she stopped at looked her servant, "Oh, and Rivera…" she began.

Rivera quickly turned to face her, a look of alarm on her face. Mitchie smiled again, "…please, call me Mitchie."

A relieved expression placed itself upon Rivera's face at Mitchie's request. She then smiled, "Yes, of course, Lady—I mean, um…Mitchie."

With one last smile, Mitchie walked out of the room and headed down the long corridors toward her father's dwelling. As she approached, the two guards stationed there turned to her. "My father requested to see me." She explained. The two armored guards nodded stiffly and placed their hands on the door, pushing it open. Both escorted her inside.

Upon the large bed that lay before the doorway was Mitchie's father, Lord Dante, the ruler of the territory she lived upon. His eyes caught his young daughter's, and he smiled. "Michelle…my darling." He acknowledged.

He glanced at the guards, "What are you two still doing in here?" he asked suddenly. The two guards exchanged confused looks behind their metal helmets before turning back to their ruler. Dante stared at them, "I am with my daughter; do you really think I'll be in any danger?"

The two guards took a glance at Mitchie, who didn't seem to be paying attention to them, before looking back at Dante cluelessly. Dante rolled his eyes, "Leave us be, you dolts!" he exclaimed, sighing as they complied, "All brawn and no brain, I swear…"

The door to Dante's room closed loudly. Mitchie stood before them, arms crossed, having not moved from her spot since she entered. "What is it you wanted, father?" she asked, a hint of impatience pulsating in her tone.

Dante clasped his hands together, "My dear, you already know what I want with you." He replied, "Why must you make it so difficult for our people, for me?"

"We're trying our hardest to oust these tyrants that terrorize our land and here you stand, doing nothing to help."

Mitchie's eyes narrowed, "They only 'terrorize' our lands because you refuse to give them equality." She retorted, "Their land is separate from ours, and yet you continue to barge within their barriers and cause problems. They are not the problem, we are."

Dante sighed, "Michelle, you do realize that I'm only doing what's best for human kind—"

"—Doing what's _best_? You call rampaging their lands and destroying their homes doing what's best?" Mitchie questioned, disgust dripping off each word, "I refuse to take part in such cruelty. This beings deserve much—"

_"**They deserve nothing!**"_ Dante bellowed, startling his daughter into silence, "They are not beings, they are creatures…monsters! They are living faults that were created to defy man and test our abilities to sustain and fend for ourselves!"

Mitchie was silent as her father preached, but retained her foul expression. As her father finished, he exhaled deeply and rubbed his temples, "I only hope that…in time, perhaps…you will understand just what I mean." He stated.

_'And I only hope that in time, he'll realize that I will never believe a single word this senile man utters.'_ Mitchie thought to herself, arms crossed over her chest. "May I leave now?" she asked impatiently, wanting nothing more than to wash her face and rid herself of the filth that was the air her father breathed.

Dante stared at his stubborn daughter before he finally nodded, "Yes, you may," he sighed, putting his head in his right hand.

For a moment, Mitchie actually felt guilty, but quickly brushed away the feeling as she left the room.

Upon entering her own room, she closed the door and walked over to her bed. As she pulled the covers down, Mitchie glanced outside at the full moon, just in time to hear a chorus of beautiful howls in the distance.

* * *

Yes, I did change the name of Mitchie's father. Jerry just doesn't seem very...I don't know, medieval-y?

o.o

Review please?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Same as last time!

I just love writing this story. So, I'm being a little quick to update, aha!

Thank you to my single reviewer (ThisSunday) on my last chapter! That made me smile. :)

* * *

"…Mitchie, you need to wake up."

The king's daughter groaned softly within her bed at the sound of her servant's voice, reaching a hand up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. Peeking an eye open, she turned slightly to the window, confused as it was still dark. "Rivera, the sun is hasn't even risen yet. Why did you wake me up so early?" Mitchie asked.

Rivera bit her lip, "Your father wanted me to wake you up," she replied, and hesitantly added, "He…he wants you to see something."

Mitchie stared at her through sleepy eyes and noticed the worry within Rivera's eyes. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, Mitchie stared at her servant, her face serious, "What is it, Rivera?" she asked.

The servant girl played with her thumbs nervously, "It's hard to explain," she mumbled softly, "I just know that you aren't going to like it."

Mitchie's eyes narrowed, _'What could that preposterous old man have done now…' _She thought bitterly. Sighing, she threw her legs over the side of the bed, slipping her feet into her soft slippers and covering her arms with her silk robe. Stretching first, Mitchie stood and headed towards the door.

"Do you need me to accompany you, ma'am?" Rivera asked from behind Mitchie.

Mitchie turned her head to look at her servant, and saw the look of panic and fear hidden behind her deep blue eyes. She smiled, "It's alright, Rivera, I can handle myself." She responded.

Rivera smiled back shyly and nodded, turning around to make Mitchie's bed as she left.

As Mitchie made her way down the long hallway, she thought about what her father must've done now. It had been a week since he confronted her about her absence from the council meeting. Since then, Dante had sent out some soldiers to guard the boundaries of the area after some foolish people had disappeared from walking into the wrong territory.

Mitchie found her father's door, and was surprised to see it open and without guards by it. She turned just in time to see another stray guard walking down the hall.

"Excuse me," she called, stopping the guard, "Do you know where my father went?"

The guard nodded and responded in a deep voice, "He is in the dungeon hall."

The young woman blinked, _'The…dungeon hall?' _She thought warily. After thanking the guard she made her way down, becoming slightly nervous as she overheard some loud yelling and crashes coming from the dungeon hall.

Never in her life had she gone down there, and never in her life had she imagined that she would ever have to. Her stomach tightened with the thought of what her father might be doing.

As she walked through the doors, Mitchie grimaced as the smell of rotten waste filled her nose. Looking down the hall, she saw her father with about five other guards. The yelling continued, and Mitchie found herself wanting to leave before she suffocated from the horrid feeling she had.

Before she could, however, her father turned and smiled that rather unpleasant smile at her and turned to her with open arms. "My darling!" he greeted her as usual, walking towards her. He pulled her to him in a hug, and Mitchie held her breath as the stench of the room still plugged her nostrils.

Dante pulled back, still smiling, "My dear, how was your sleep?" he asked.

Mitchie, with the grimace still planted on her face, responded, "Fine, until I was given a rather early wake up call."

Still smiling, "Ah yes, I'm very sorry about that, but I just needed you to see this." He stated in an almost excited manner.

"And what was it you needed me to see?" Mitchie asked, bored already.

Taking her hand, Dante led his daughter back to where he stood when she had entered, "Something that I know will change your mind about these monsters…" he replied.

Mitchie turned to the sight and gasped immediately, her eyes wide. She let go of her father's hand and covered her mouth in shock.

There, before her, sat a chained up and battered man, breathing harshly.

"What on earth are you doing to this man?" Mitchie exclaimed as one of the guards kicked his ribs roughly.

Dante chuckled, "My darling, he is no man," he said, raising a hand and ordering the guard to do something silently. The said guard reached down with his silver-encrusted glove and clutched the man's face and brought it up to view. The man yelled out painfully as the silver burned into his skin, his eyes squeezed shut.

The man's teeth clenched and Mitchie gasped as she saw the sharp, canine teeth emerge from his mouth.

"This…is a Lycan." Dante snarled. The guard harshly punched the young lycan, leaving him to lie on the ground, beaten, bruised, and bleeding.

Tears formed in Mitchie's eyes as she witnessed all of this. "He went past our borders! He was heading towards the villages!" Dante explained angrily, "This things are savage creatures that deserve to be put down and destroyed." The king shook his head, "Now, my darling, do you really have any other reason to defend these fiends?"

"Yes…yes, I do."

Dante was silent, before turning to his daughter, "And what reasons may that be?"

Mitchie whipped around to face him, tears falling from her eyes, "Look at this! Look at what you're doing to this man!"

Dante exhaled calmly, "He is no man—"

"Let me finish, goddamn it!" Mitchie yelled, silencing her father, "You torture them because they cross our borders, but we cross theirs more often then not and they do nothing because all they want is equality! Why can we recuperate?"

"You call them monsters, but honestly, are we any better? You call them savages, but we are the ones that are starting this…this unnecessary war!" Mitchie reasoned, the tears still falling down her flushed cheeks, "So maybe their traditions are different then ours. That does not give you the right to limit their natural rights!"

"These beings to not deserve such rights," Dante growled angrily, wanting to silence his daughter but to no avail as she continued.

"They deserve everything!" she screamed at her father, "They deserve peace, equality, and a life!"

Mitchie turned to the lycan lying on the ground and noticed him staring at her through weak, golden brown eyes. She sent him a look of remorse before turning back to her father, glaring angrily.

"You…are not God." She seethed angrily, "So stop acting like it."

Once those words were said, she turned from her father and walked away, the rest of the tears that were stored behind her eyes falling once again.

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R&R! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Same as always!

Thank you ThisSunday and my newest reviewer, mia bella jacob. Your reviews made me very happy.

:D

As for this chapter, it goes more into Mitchie's past and why her father is as sour as he is. I promise the "mysterious" Lycan will come in the next chapter. ;)

* * *

The dimmed light of the setting sun flooded through Mitchie's room as she lay on the bed, staring at the wall. She had been like this for the entire day, only getting up when she needed to use the restroom.

The yelling had escalated to the point where Mitchie could hear them from her room. It had stopped a few hours back, but she could still hear the poor creature's wails of pain echoing in her head. She had overheard Rivera as she came in the room saying that they hadn't fed or given the lycan any water since he got there this morning.

Mitchie squeezed her eyes shut, willing her tears away even though no one would see them. _'How could he do this…?' _She thought sadly,_ 'Ever since mother died…' _She sighed quietly, remembering the last time she saw her mother, and the very first time she ever encountered a lycan.

***Flashback, 10 years ago***

_An 8-year-old Mitchie sat up in bed, clutching a small rag doll to her chest, a fearful look on her face. As thunder clapped outside, she whimpered and squeezed her doll tighter._

_After a few minutes, Mitchie gathered up the courage to slide out of her bed and slip on her slippers. Still clutching her doll, she headed out into the hall and towards her parent's room._

_Another clap of thunder made Mitchie whimper again._

"_Mama…" she called weakly through the doors, "…Papa…"_

_No response._

_Just as she was about to knock again, she heard a slight rustle. Turning down the other hallway, she saw the door to the stairway open. After staring at it for a few seconds, she headed down the twisted stairwell, leading to the first floor._

_Once at the bottom, Mitchie saw the door to the outside open. Rain poured heavily, some of it blowing inside due to the strong wind whistling through the air._

_Beneath a heaving oak tree, there was a shadow. It was moving closer to the door._

_Petrified, Mitchie dropped her doll and stood her ground, trembling._

_The shadow stopped, and a spark of lightning lit up the scene. There stood an extraordinarily large wolf, its fur the color of steel, and eyes of pure sapphire. And upon it's back…lay her mother, unmoving._

"…_M-mama?" Mitchie whispered, afraid. The wolf advanced towards the child carefully, and gently slid the body of Mitchie's mother onto the ground. Mitchie kneeled next to her mother, just looking her over. Her head was bleeding profusely, and blood stained her nightgown._

_Mitchie touched her mother's ice-cold face, and shook her shoulder. "Mama…?" she quietly said, even though she knew her mother wouldn't respond._

_A nudge broke Mitchie out of her thoughts, and she turned, gasping. The wolf stood there by Mitchie, her doll in his mouth. She reached towards it hesitantly, and grasped the leg of the doll. The wolf obediently let the doll go, letting the girl hold it._

_Mitchie looked at the doll, and then back at the wolf, "D-did you hurt my Mama?" she asked softly. The wolf stared back at the girl, almost sadly, and whined quietly._

_Just then, Mitchie heard the sound of footsteps behind her. The wolf perked up as Mitchie turned around. Her father stood there with wide eyes, staring at the wolf then at his fallen wife. "Constance!" he yelled, rushing to his fallen wife and his child. The wolf backed up, catching the man's attention again._

_Dante quickly pulled Mitchie close to him and snarled at the wolf, "You get away from us, you vile, murderous creature!" he yelled, "Guards!"_

_The wolf reacted quickly, turning around and running outside into the rain._

_Several guards ran into the room, waiting for Dante's command. "Follow that Lycan!" The king ordered, and the guards turned and ran out into the storm. Dante called for one to stay, and the said guard walked back to his leader, waiting for orders. "Take my daughter back to her room," Dante whispered, his voice cracking as he looked down at his deceased wife, "Do it now…and leave me be."_

_The guard nodded slowly, gently picking up the king's daughter, and turned away from the scene, going back up the stairs._

_Mitchie stayed silent throughout the trip, clutching her doll close._

***Flashback End***

Mitchie sighed, remembering that day as though it were yesterday. She missed her mother every day. Her mother would never approve of the torture her father was putting that Lycan through, especially one as young as that creature seemed to be. Though her mother was always wary of Lycans, she never really hated them.

Back then, the former queen was known to be merciful, beautiful, and quite intelligent. Though the territories were still separated, she treated the Lycans fairly, going as far as to provide them with an extra share of cattle to feed on when they were low.

Dante never liked the Lycans, but spared his judgment from his wife because he loved her. After she died, especially after seeing a Lycan at the scene of her death, he just…snapped.

Laws became stricter, consequences became harsher, and her father's once warm heart froze in place. He was a walking dead man, only keeping his eyes open long enough to see the demise of the ones he's convinced murdered his beloved queen.

Like Mitchie would let that happen.

Sighing for what seemed the hundredth time that day, Mitchie closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. She wanted to do something; she wanted to help that Lycan. But…how?

Just then, Mitchie heard her door creak open, "…Mitchie?"

Mitchie hummed softly, "Yes, Rivera?"

"The kitchen is serving lamb and fresh vegetables for dinner and Lord Dante would like you to join him." Rivera said.

Mitchie huffed, "Tell him I happily decline."

Expecting that much, Rivera spoke again, "Would you like me to bring some up then?"

"No thank you," Mitchie replied, "I'm not hungry."

Rivera sighed and stepped inside the room, closing the door behind her, "Mitchie, come on, you need to eat. You can lay here all day." She tried to reason.

Mitchie turned around on the bed, watching her servant, "Watch me." She mumbled.

"Mitchie, I'm serious," Rivera continued, "You need to eat—"

Mitchie sat up abruptly, "I refuse to eat while a man down there starves to death!" she yelled, startling Rivera.

It was silent for a moment, before Mitchie realized what she had done and exhaled deeply, putting a hand on her face, "I'm sorry, Rivera…" she apologized.

Rivera smiled slightly, "It's alright," she said, "I understand your frustration."

Mitchie's breath shuddered as she tried to speak, "I just don't know what to do," she whispered.

Rivera looked over her master, before beginning to walk towards the door, "Well, if you change your mind, just tell me and I'll get the chef to cook some lamb for you. He always has extras."

Suddenly, Mitchie lifted her head up, "…Just how many extras?"

Rivera turned back around and raised an eyebrow, "Just about ten to twelve slabs of meat," she replied, "Why? Are you hungry?"

Mitchie smiled, her plan taking form in her head, "No, not really."

* * *

R & R!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Same as always!

Ah, school is coming up soon (August 23rd). Because of that, I may not be posting as frequently as I have the first few, but I will still make time to write. I love this story, and would never abandon it.

Speaking of loving this story, I have to say that when the thought of this story came up in my mind, this is the scene that came most vividly. So...I hope you like it!

:)

* * *

"No, no, absolutely not!" Rivera stammered, eyes wide as Mitchie finished telling her about her so-called plan.

Mitchie smiled at her servant's obvious discomfort. "I know it seems crazy—"

"Crazy is an understatement, Mitchie!" Rivera exclaimed, running a hand through her hair, "I mean, not only are you going to steal from the kitchen, but actually feeding the prisoner down there? Do you know how much trouble you could get into?"

Mitchie's smile dropped, "I know what the consequences are, Rivera," she uttered, "but I don't plan on getting caught. This man is worth the risk."

"But Mitchie," Rivera said in a hushed tone, looking away for a second before going back to her master, "He's still a _Lycan_; he could hurt you…kill you!"

Mitchie sighed, "We don't know what might happen, Rivera," she said, "He could hurt me, but I have to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Realizing that Mitchie wouldn't cave, Rivera sighed. "Well," she mumbled, "You're going to need someone to get the keys into his cage…"

Blinking, Mitchie looked up at her servant, "Are you serious?" she asked incredulously, "You're going to help me?"

"Well of course," Rivera replied, rolling her eyes, "If you're going to risk that royal rump of yours, then I might as well, too. If you get banished, I won't have a job!"

Mitchie smiled knowingly, "Or is it just because you love me?"

Rivera smiled back and winked, "That too."

**-xXx-**

The midnight bell rang through the human territory, just as Rivera re-entered Mitchie's room. Mitchie sat up, knowing it was time, and looked at her servant, "Did you get the keys?" she asked.

Rivera nodded, holding up the ring of keys, "It's the silver one," she said, holding them out to her master.

"How did you get them, anyway?" Mitchie asked as she took the keys from Rivera.

The blue-eyed girl smirked, "By acting like a stupid but innocent slave girl that got lost. Who'd guess that I'd steal from someone?"

Mitchie laughed at that, "Well, I better get going," she said, calming her laughter and slipping a robe over her nightgown.

Rivera stared at her, "You're actually going to see him looking like _that_?" she asked in disbelief.

The king's daughter looked down at her choice of clothes—her navy-blue silk nightgown and a white, chiffon robe—before looking back up at her servant, eyebrows furrowed, "What about it?" she questioned.

Rivera shrugged, "I don't know, don't you think it's a little, well…improper?" she elaborated.

Mitchie looked down at herself again, before shaking her head, "It's fine; I'm sure that my choice of clothing won't bother him if he's as hungry as I think he is."

Chuckling, Rivera shook his head, "Human or Lycan, I think males share a similar thought process when it comes to women." She mused.

Mitchie felt her face flush slightly but shook it off, "I should be back before dawn." She stated, heading towards the door after putting her slippers on. Rivera nodded her head in understanding just as Mitchie left.

Quietly wandering down the halls, she checked the corners for guards, breathing in relief as she saw none. Turning the corner, Mitchie headed over to the kitchen. Upon entering, she found a medium sized metal bowl and took it with her to the freezer where she found the meat.

'_I should probably thaw it out a little…' _She thought to herself, hooking the hoop of keys around her arm. Grabbing a pot, she poured some water inside and turned the fireplace on to a low heat to heat it up.

Once the water heated up, Mitchie took the slabs of meat out and put them in the water after turning the fireplace off. As soon as the meat thawed, she placed them into the metal bowl, retrieved a pitcher of clean water and quickly left the area.

Heading down to the dungeon, Mitchie prepared herself not only for the horrid smell, but for the Lycan she was about to encounter. Of course she didn't despise them like her father did, but that didn't mean she couldn't be a little afraid. Even though it was likely that the man was chained up, there was still a faint possibility that he, like Rivera said, could kill her.

Ridding herself of such thoughts, Mitchie walked down the dungeon towards the cage of the Lycan. When there, she stood in front of a large and (funny enough) silver door. Mitchie blinked; her father was really working that poor silversmith to death. Setting the bowl and pitcher down quietly, Mitchie leaned her ear against the door.

She didn't really hear anything, and couldn't decide if that was because the door was thick, or if the Lycan was sleeping or maybe even…dead?

Mitchie shook her head and took the keys from around her shoulder, finding the silver one and putting it into the lock, twisting it.

**(A/N: Wouldn't it be mean if I ended it here? Aha.)**

The door made a soft clicking noise, signaling that it was now unlocked. Sighing quietly, Mitchie hung the keys on a hook near the door before picking the bowl and pitcher up and pushing the door open.

It was oddly silent as she entered; the only light in this room being from a small, barred window in the top left corner. Mitchie closed the door behind her, flinching as it made a slightly loud 'clank'.

'_Oh…I hope nobody heard that.' _She internally groaned. She froze suddenly as a low, menacing growl erupted from the right corner of the room. She turned and held back a gasp as she came in contact with golden eyes.

Mitchie gulped, tightening her grip on the items in her grasp as her hands began to sweat. She took a step forward and cautiously kneeled down, setting the items down with her. She barely crawled towards him before he lunged at her.

Startled, Mitchie fell back on her rear, staring at the Lycan's face in fear. His canines were bared, his gold eyes shone brightly in the moonlight, and his breathing came out in short but dangerous growls.

It was then Mitchie realized that this was the very first time she ever saw a Lycan face-to-face in human form.

His straight midnight hair fell past his ears and over his ever-so-bright eyes. Which, speaking of his eyes, were different color than when she first saw him. When she first saw him, lying on the ground in that weak manner, his eyes were a warm brown. Now they were pure gold, standing out from his tanned skin and behind his dark hair.

Mitchie noticed that he was shirtless, which was also different from when she first saw him, wearing a black tunic. Only a string of black with a golden pendant hung around his neck. He was indeed quite toned, something she expected from a nimble Lycan, but still it was so hard to look away…

Snapping out of her daydream, Mitchie realized that he was still in the same stance as he was when he lunged at her. But, he hadn't advanced, which Mitchie found odd. Was it because he saw the nourishment she had brought? Glancing behind him, she fought the urge to roll her eyes as she saw the silver cuffs restraining him to the wall.

'_I am so treating that silversmith to dinner for the work he's done…' _She thought absently, before coming back to her situation.

Regaining her posture, Mitchie slowly moved, flinching again as the Lycan's growl grew a tad louder. She reached towards the bowl, "I have food…and water…" she mumbled. Rolling her sleeves up, she grabbed a slab of meat, "Here…" she said quietly, holding it out to him.

The Lycan snapped at her outstretched arm, which Mitchie quickly dodged. Mitchie tried again, only to have him do the same action. Mitchie glared at the Lycan, "I'm just trying to help you!" she whispered, keeping her voice low. The Lycan scoffed, never turning her gaze away from her.

Getting increasingly annoyed, Mitchie narrowed her eyes, "Alright look, I don't know how you Lycans feel about humans and I don't know how big their, or maybe just your ego is,—" Mitchie saw the Lycan's glare intensify but ignored it, "—but the reality is that you got caught. You don't know my father but I do and all he's going to do is either torture or let you rot to death in this God-forsaken cell, probably both."

The Lycan was silent, so Mitchie continued, "If you haven't noticed, I do not agree with my father with this or with anything for that matter and because of that, I came down to help you," she spoke through gritted teeth, "Now don't you dare waste my time after I busted my ass to get all this shit and keep you alive."

Mitchie shoved her hand to his face bravely, meat in hand, waiting for him to take it (and almost challenging him to snap at her again).

The Lycan had long since hidden his canines as he reluctantly listened to Mitchie's lecture. He was seething with anger, not only because of the way she had just spoken to him but because of the fact that she was right. He glanced down at the piece of red meat and felt his mouth salivate.

Mitchie watched as the Lycan slowly leaned forward, eyes still locked with hers warily. She had the sudden urge to pull away from him, yelling 'Gotcha!', but knew that that would be a childish, not to mention dangerous, thing to do. Once in reach, the Lycan quickly snapped at the meat, pulling it away from Mitchie and chewing it roughly without the use of his hands.

Feeling triumphant, Mitchie smiled and got another piece of lamb as he finished, holding it out to him and watching as he ate it.

After about seven pieces of meat, Mitchie watched in slight awe as the Lycan's eyes slowly dimmed back into the golden brown she saw earlier that day.

As he ate the final piece, Mitchie took the pitcher of water into her hands and crawled closer to him. He noticed this and began to growl and bare his teeth again, making Mitchie roll her eyes. "Oh, right. What is it? Do you want to use your feet to drink?" she asked sarcastically.

The Lycan growled lowly in his throat but hid his teeth, letting her approach him.

"Just tilt your head back a little," she instructed softly, mentally sighing of relief when he complied. The tilted the pitcher forward over his mouth gently, letting the water run slowly down his throat so he wouldn't choke. She tilted the pitcher back every ten seconds so he could breathe.

Once the pitcher was empty, Mitchie placed it on the solid floor before turning back to the Lycan, raising an eyebrow at him, "Now, was that so hard?" she asked, almost playfully. The Lycan grunted in response, licking his plump yet slightly chapped pink lips.

The king's daughter smiled, "I'm Mitchie by the way," she said, "well, Michelle really, but I prefer Mitchie."

The Lycan stared at her strangely. "Um…what's your name?" Mitchie asked politely. The Lycan continued to stare silently.

Sighing, Mitchie took the empty bowl and pitcher in her arms, "Well, I guess you don't have to tell me now, but I need to get to bed," she said, standing up.

The Lycan watched her closely as she spoke again, "I'll be back again," she reassured, smiling and winking lightheartedly, "don't miss me too much."

Amused, the Lycan stayed quiet as she exited the cell and closed the door, leaving him to rest. The young princess grabbed the keys off the hook, locked the door and headed out of the smelly dungeon.

On the way back to her room, Mitchie just couldn't keep the smile off her face.

* * *

R & R! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Same as always!

Ahh, I can't stop writing this. Aha! Thank you to my reviewers; I love you all.

I'm kinda proud of this chapter, so I hope you like it.

Oh, and just so you know, I don't have a beta, so if there are ever any mistakes, forgive me please.

:)

* * *

It's been four days since Mitchie first visited the Lycan, and true to her word, she returned every midnight to care for him. She had convinced the chef in her kitchen that she had been craving red meat and that she wanted more of it.

Though confused, the chef didn't question her request and complied, bringing in several pounds of poultry.

Although the Lycan had slightly lowered his guard around her, allowing her to feed him and quench his thirst, the visits were still silent on his part. He had yet to tell Mitchie his name, or really anything for that matter.

But that didn't stop Mitchie from telling him about herself.

She told him a few stories: some of which her mother used to tell her as a child, some of which were memories that Mitchie cherished. She wasn't sure if the Lycan was listening, but continued to speak because it felt…nice.

It felt nice to talk about these things, to speak of stories she hadn't repeated to anyone before. It didn't matter if the certain someone that may be listening was a potentially dangerous Lycan.

All that mattered was that she could vent her feelings without feeling smothered by her father's cruel lies.

"…I was so little, I don't even remember why I thought it was a good idea to climb that huge willow," Mitchie giggled, finishing off her memory of herself climbing the large tree outside the castle and falling off, fracturing her ankle. She flicked her dark bangs out of her face, handing the man the final slice of meat.

The Lycan finished chewing the last piece of meat silently, staring at the stone wall. Mitchie turned to retrieve the pitcher of water, and as she picked it up, she turned to him, "So…um, do you want to tell me what your name is now?" she asked shyly.

The Lycan huffed quietly and stared pointedly at the water in her grasp. Mitchie exhaled dejectedly, _'Guess not…' _

She crawled towards him and let him drink in silence.

Once he finished, she set the pitcher down and leaned against the stone wall, just about a foot away from the Lycan. The creature blinked at her, confused but also slightly awe of her bravery. Not many humans (at least, from his point of view) would have the courage to do all of this.

Mitchie looked up at caught him staring at her. She blushed lightly and pulled her knees to her chest, looking at her fingers.

"My mother…she was an amazing woman. The people of this country loved her. I was told that she was described as being not only very beautiful, but gracious, too." She began. The Lycan stared at her, somewhat intrigued as to why this girl was telling him this.

"She never exactly knew of how the Lycans were, but still she treated them like they were equals. She didn't care that at full moon, they would prowl around in the forest. She didn't care because it was their nature," She shared, glancing at the young Lycan, "your nature."

The Lycan breathed quietly, his warm eyes concentrated on her. For once, he actually looked like he was listening.

"Eight years, I spent with her. I wish it could've been longer, but, well…there are many things we wish for." Mitchie sighed, the memories flooding back into her head, "She was brought into the castle late at night, in front of me, lifeless on the back of a Lycan, who had by that time turned into a wolf."

Mitchie leaned her head on her knees, "I had always been told, mostly by my father, that Lycans were dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. But at this point, I didn't have anywhere else to go," she said, "It put my mother on the ground, and returned me my doll, which I had dropped when I saw it."

Closing her eyes, Mitchie chuckled sadly, "My father found us, and the Lycan ran off. He's convinced that it was the Lycan's doing and vowed to avenge my mother."

The Lycan silently watched, engrossed in Mitchie's calm but sorrow-filled behavior.

"However, I know…I just know that the Lycan didn't kill her." She stated, "I…I even asked it if it did." Mitchie gave another painful laugh, "I know, asking someone if they killed another isn't the best way of getting through things, but give me a break, I was eight years old."

The Lycan couldn't believe that this young, suffering girl could joke during something like this. It drew him in, and he couldn't help but listen further.

"The Lycan…it had such sadness in its eyes. Not guilt…just sadness, like it knew how I should be feeling," Mitchie whispered, feeling her eyes grow heavy with restrained tears, "I loved my mother, and I know I should be as conflicted as my father but I just…I just refuse."

"My mother would never have acted this way. Maybe she would've become more cautious but never this. Never torturing and putting unfair rules into place."

Mitchie, breathing in deeply, opened her eyes at turned to look at the prisoner, "That is why…that is why I continue to fight on your side. You can call it betrayal, but I call it justice." She confirmed confidently, even with the slight shakiness to her voice.

The Lycan gazed intently into her ruby-brown eyes as they made contact with his, feeling the honesty behind her words. The moonlight through the small window fell on her, making her face seem like it was glowing. Her eyes seemed to stare into his soul. She was prodding through his mind, and for some strange reason, he didn't resist.

He shuddered at the feeling.

Breathing deeply again, Mitchie grabbed both the bowl and the pitcher, beginning to stand up. "Well, um…I'll see you again soon," she said softly, biting the inside of her lip.

It was odd, really, how she should pour herself out to a random stranger, let alone a Lycan, and not to someone she knew, such as Rivera. Maybe it was because he didn't know her that she was able to say such things. He didn't know her past, and nor did she know his; therefore he couldn't judge her. It was comforting, to say the least, for someone to just listen.

Mitchie stood, approaching the door to leave. She put her hand on the silver handle, taking a minute to regain her posture, before exhaling and starting to leave.

"It's Shane."

Mitchie froze as she finally heard the Lycan speak. His voice was a tad hoarse, probably from not speaking this entire time. Still, it sent shivers down her spine.

She turned back around, meeting his watchful gaze. "My name…that's what it is," he murmured awkwardly, "My name is Shane."

Mitchie felt a smile slowly form on her lips, and subconsciously let a stray tear fall from her eye. "Shane," she repeated quietly, "I-I…I'll see you soon…like I said."

The Lycan, now having revealed his name, nodded stiffly.

Mitchie bit the inside of her lip again softly, "…Goodnight."

There she left him, the door closing and locking behind her. Shane stared at the door, as if he could look through it and see her walking away. He tried to take a step closer, but hissed as the silver cuffs burned his wrists and kept him back.

Shane clenched his fists, wishing that he could've had at least one hand free to wipe away that single tear.

* * *

R & R! :)


	6. Chapter 6 PART ONE

**Disclaimer**: Same as always! Oh, and I own Augustine. :)

School started Monday. It's the second day of school and I already had homework. WHAT? Whaddupwitdat? :(

So, like I said, my updates won't be as frequent since I have homework and because I have to sleep early to catch the bus in the morning. Thank you for your reviews! If you haven't noticed, they make me happy.

**Oh, and another note:** This chapter is **PART ONE** of two. I split in in two because I wanted to get this part posted before I get shunned off to bed. Aha. The second part will be posted soon, and it will be a tad short. I hope you like this!

* * *

It had been little over a week, and though some guards had gotten a tad suspicious, Mitchie had managed to get to the Lycan for over a week without them catching her.

Though Shane had told her his name, he still hadn't said much. But Mitchie was fine with that; she had to gain his trust, and she found herself lucky to have him at least trust her with his name.

The morning of the eighth day, Mitchie got up with a smile on her face. She had only slept for about four hours, but that didn't seem to faze her. Ever since Shane had spoken to her, she had been waking up this way.

Mitchie was just slipping on her slippers when Rivera poked her head in. "Mitchie," she called, getting her master's attention, "Your father wants to see you."

Mitchie froze, fear prickling up her spin. Rivera, seeing this, chuckled, "Don't worry, it's not that." She said knowingly.

The slave smiled as Mitchie visibly calmed down, "Do you know what he wants?" Mitchie asked.

Rivera's face flushed, "I have an idea." She mumbled, "You, um, have to dress up."

Blinking, Mitchie replied slowly, "Dress up in…what exactly?" she asked. Rivera pushed the door open wider, revealing a beautiful but snug red and gold velvet dress.

"Something like this." Rivera replied.

Mitchie stared at the dress, instantly feeling nervous. Sure, it was a gorgeous gown, but it was a certain type of dress that she recognized all to well. She remembered seeing other young, royal women wearing it. That rich red shade…the gold embellishments…the ridiculously tight corset top…

It was a mating dress.

The revealing top half was suppose to entice men, the red color to stand out among the crowd, and the embellishments and velvet clothe to have people recognize royalty.

Mitchie groaned, dreading what was coming. Rivera giggled, walking closer to her master, "Dress up time!"

**-xXx-**

"…I have no respect for those monstrous creatures, your highness, and I offer my deepest condolences for the high queen."

Lord Dante smiled at the young man standing before him. He seemed promising, and would be a great leader for this land.

And hopefully a great motivator to influence his stubborn daughter.

"Why thank you, Prince Augustine." Dante replied.

"Your very welcome, your highness." Augustine said back, bowing respectfully.

Small, delicate steps were heard coming down the stairwell, drawing the two men's attention to it. There, once at the bottom of the stairs, stood Mitchie in the beautiful mating dress.

The expression on her face was slightly strained; maybe it was because she didn't really want to be here…or maybe it had something to do with the fact that she really couldn't breathe because of that stupid corset.

Either way, she forced a closed-mouthed smile on her face, and continued towards the two men.

"My darling," Dante greeted in that disgusting kind tone, "You look beautiful."

Mitchie kept the smile on her face, nodding in acknowledgement of his comment. She didn't want to lose what little oxygen she had talking and pass out later.

"This, is Prince Augustine of the Northern Territory." Dante introduced, motioning his hand to the man who stood next to him, "And this stunning young woman here is my daughter, Michelle Lavoie."

The young prince gently took Mitchie's hand, leaning down and kissed it softly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady," He addressed kindly, his green eyes coming up to meet hers. If Mitchie hadn't known Shane, she'd probably be smitten.

'_Wait…what? No, no…I didn't just…'_

"Michelle," Mitchie heard her father say, snapping her out of her thoughts. "You will be spending the day with Augustine; I believe he will be a great king someday."

Augustine smiled, "You're too kind, sir."

Mitchie resisted the urge to scoff, _'Yeah, too kind my ass.'_ She thought.

"Where will you be taking my daughter anyhow?" Dante asked, wanting Mitchie to know more than he really did.

"I will be taking her to my territory; she will be an honored guest." Augustine replied, "I will be showing her around the beauties of my father's land, and then we shall dine in my castle's finest kitchen."

Mitchie shifted uncomfortably; she wasn't sure how she could possibly eat in this gaudy corset.

"Sounds exciting," Dante said, smiling, then turning to his daughter, "When you return home, my darling, my guards will be at the front to escort you up. You can't be too safe with a Lycan in the castle."

Mitchie held back a nervous laugh and began to turn around, but paused when she realized something. "Wait, how long will I be gone?" she asked, regretting it as she felt as if the corset had tightened.

Her father glanced at Augustine, then at his daughter, "I believe all day." He replied, and then smiled, "Have a good day!"

All day? How would she get to Shane, especially with that guard by her side?

Giving a smile as fake as her father's kindness, Mitchie reluctantly followed Augustine as her led her outside to his carriage, worry filling up her stomach.

**-xXx-**

Shane sat in the cell, his arms feeling a little numb from the way they were being held by the chains. He breathed quietly, leaning his head against the wall and thinking about the past few days.

It was the early morning, and Shane had been prowling the boundary of his area, making sure to keep away human stragglers and keep his own kind safe from the other side.

As he walked around, he noticed a soft rustling in the shrubbery. He began to growl, sending a warning to whoever dared to cross. The rustling continued, before a small, wolf cub limped out of the shrub. Shane stopped growling, his eyes widening dramatically.

The cub whimpered, stumbling and falling onto the ground. Its light grey coat was stained with blood and dirt. Shane was about to rush towards it, when it suddenly barked weakly, as if trying to keep him back. Shane stared at it, confused, before realizing what the cub was trying to keep him from doing.

The boundary line separated the two, and if he crossed, he would be breaking a huge law.

Shane growled in frustration. This cub was clearly loosing blood, and if he didn't help it now, it would die. The cub's pastel blue eyes were fluttering, struggling to stay conscious. After only a few seconds, Shane closed his eyes, and without a second thought, rushed towards the cub, not seeing the heavily armed humans creeping out of the forest.

It angered Shane greatly just thinking about it. They tricked him. They tricked him into walking into their boundaries by using a young cub as bait.

'_Savages…' _he thought.

In fact, the day he was imprisoned, he planned on busting out. He figured midnight would be the best so no humans would be walking around to distract him. Sure, he was chained up and caged in silver, but he could muster up some strength inside him to get past the pain of his skin burning. He would heal after a while.

Then that girl, Mitchie, came to him.

It confused him greatly that a human, especially the daughter of the twisted king that kept him here. She was so different from what he imagined all humans to be. She was kind and giving, but bold and witty at the same time. A woman, speaking to him with such calmness and bravery, astounded him. Though she did have a feminine quality to her that all women had, her sense of strength was also very prominent.

The fact that she could face her father and defy him on the spot made Shane feel even angrier that he couldn't bring himself to express himself to his own father.

Sighing, Shane closed his eyes, resting them. He was about to take a short nap, when he heard low howls in the distance.

'…_What?' _He thought, feeling both panic and excitement run through his body. It wasn't full moon…if it was, he would've felt it. The only other time they howled like that was when…

Shane groaned loudly, _'This…is bad,'_ he thought miserably, but shrugged, _'well, I guess they started it.'_

**-xXx-**

As Mitchie was carried away in the fancy carriage, she overheard the howling back around her territory.

"My Lady?" Augustine asked, wondering why she suddenly turned towards the window.

Mitchie looked back at him, "O-Oh, I'm sorry…" she apologized, glancing out the window again, "I just got a little distracted…continue what you were saying?"

Augustine smiled and flipped his blonde hair out of his green eyes. For a minute, the image of Shane, with his dark hair and golden-brown eyes, flicked in her head. She sighed inwardly as Augustine continued to talk about what they would see in his country.

'_Shane…'_ she thought, as if he would be able to hear her, _'I'm so sorry.'_

_

* * *

_

R & R!

I did also change Mitchie's last name. Torres is just...eh. :/

**ANOTHER NOTE:** I realize that they most likely did not have carriages back then. . Just bear with me! I couldn't figure out what to replace it with. I may have several mistakes when it comes to things like that (what was there at the time and what wasn't), but c'mon. It's a fiction story. Don't get too angry, 'kay? ;)


	7. Chapter 6 PART TWO

**Disclaimer: Same as always! I own Rivera, Lord Dante, Augustine, and this plot. I do not own Mitchie, Shane, or any other CR character mentioned in this story.**

Here is the continuation of Chapter 6!

I'm not too happy with it (because it was a little rushed), but I hope you like it anyway.

:)

* * *

A dim light lit up the empty dining room, giving it a slight glow compared to the rest of the room.

Mitchie picked at her food, pushing them around on her plate with her fork. She couldn't stop thinking about Shane. What if she didn't get back in time to attend to him? What if the guards came down and decided to torture him? What if something—

"Michelle?"

Mitchie's eyes shot up, startled out of her thoughts. Augustine stared at her with a worried look, "Are you alright? Is the food not to your liking?" he asked.

Mitchie smiled, shaking her head, "Oh, no, the food is delicious, thank you," she responded kindly, "It's just…um…"

Augustine smiled, "Is it your corset?"

Blinking, Mitchie watched him oddly. He chuckled, "Forgive me for being so direct, but I couldn't help but notice you forgetting to breathe." He explained, "Though I couldn't tell if it was me or the corset, but I figured it was the latter."

Mitchie gave a little laugh at that, "Yes, well, I guess you caught me," she half-lied, "It is a little tight."

The prince nodded in understanding, "I can get one of my servants help you with that," he said, smiling, "I wouldn't want a guest of mine, especially one as beautiful as you, to be uncomfortable."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to trouble them for such a little thing," Mitchie replied politely, "I can handle it for now."

The kind smile never left Augustine's face as he stared at her thoughtfully, "Showing kindness…to a slave, no less," he remarked, "You truly are generous; I can tell that you will make a great queen one day."

Blushing, Mitchie gave a nervous laugh, "Perhaps, but I'm not expecting such a high honor just yet…it seems too soon." She said, getting a little nervous.

Augustine laughed, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that we could be getting married now." He said, "I have only just met you this morning. Whether we do in the future, however, is yet to be known."

Giving Augustine a slightly hesitant smile, Mitchie turned to look outside through the window, and was shocked to see it was already so dark.

'_Shane…'_ she thought worriedly.

The door suddenly burst open, startling the two at the table. Augustine looked up to see one of his trusted servants standing there, looking urgent. "I am sorry for the intrusion, your highness," the young servant panted, "But your father has just received word from the Western Territory; they're under attack: Lycans."

Mitchie's eyes widened, "What?" she exclaimed, standing up from her chair.

Augustine stood up as well, alarmed, "When did this happen?"

"Just a few minutes ago. A wounded knight came on horseback and requested for help." The servant replied, "Your father wants you to take Lady Michelle to the safe house; the Lycans might've followed the knight and he wants to make sure that both of you are alright."

"And my father?" Augustine demanded.

"He's sending half of our knights to reinforce the Western Territory," the servant responded, "Now hurry, you must go!"

Augustine sighed in frustration and took Mitchie's hand leading her out of the room.

As they reached a downward stairwell, Mitchie stopped walking.

"My lady, we must go." He said, pulling gently at her arm.

Mitchie shook her head, letting go of him, "No, I have to get back to my land." She stated, beginning to walk up the stairs.

"Wait, no, Michelle," Augustine called, running up and grabbing her hand again, "I will not allow you to get hurt—"

She ripped her hand away from him, "And I will not allow my home to get destroyed!" Mitchie screamed, shutting Augustine up.

"That is my home, Augustine," she said softly, breathing harshly, "I will not leave my people, my friends, my…my father…"

'…_my Shane…'_

Mitchie shook her head, looking at Augustine directly in the eyes, "I will not stay here when I know my home is in peril. So you better find some sort of transportation fast or I'm running through that damned forest."

Augustine stared at her, before shaking his head, taking her hand once more and running up the stairs, muttering things about how bad of an idea this was.

**-xXx- **

Mitchie couldn't believe what she was seeing as the carriage rolled into her territory. People were running away in fear, screaming and carrying injured individuals away from danger. She could see wolves running loose, and knights struggling to fight them off.

She opened the door hurriedly, stepping out and closing it behind her. "Michelle!" Augustine exclaimed, letting go of the horse reigns and jumping down, "We shouldn't have come, it's not safe. We have to go."

Turning to her people, she saw Rivera with her younger sister, running fearfully through the crowds. Ignoring Augustine, she ran towards the two, drowning out the prince's protests.

As she ran, Mitchie reached behind her, pulling on the stupid ties that kept the tight corset on her. Getting them undone, she ripped the thing off and dropped it on the ground carelessly, leaving her in the soft velvet undershirt that was beneath it.

Now able to breathe easier, she ran faster to dodge running people.

"Rivera!" she called, stopping her servant.

Rivera's eyes widened, "Mitchie! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, looking around in terror.

"There's no time for that right now," Mitchie replied, "Take your sister and go through the stables area of the castle. Lead as many people as you can through there."

"We're not allowed to bring others in the castle!"

"I will deal with the consequences, Rivera!" Mitchie yelled, trying to keep her voice over the screams, "Just go!"

Rivera nodded; taking her sister and helping some people get to the castle without being harmed. Mitchie assisted her, guiding the people in panic to the castle.

As she ran back to the front of the castle, she was stopped by a group of three large, mean-looking wolves. One was a dark mahogany, another a grey and white, and the last a blond, sandy color.

Their fur stood upright in a menacing fashion as they growled, eyes glowing. Mitchie gulped, thinking quickly about what she could possibly do. She could run, but if her knowledge about Lycans were correct, then they would be able to catch her within seconds of her taking three steps away.

Before she was able to move, a dark, raven-haired wolf appeared. It faced the wolves, barking in an almost annoyed manner. The wolves backed away, but stayed on guard. Mitchie stepped back, and cursed silently as a branch snapped beneath her feet.

The dark wolf turned its head to look at her, its golden eyes shining in the night.

Mitchie gasped, her eyes widening as she recognized those eyes. _'…Shane?' _

The wolf stared at her for a little while, before lifting his head up and giving a great howl.

The wolves before him did the same, and began running in the opposite direction and into the forest. The wolf, who Mitchie was certain was Shane, stared at her once more, before running off with the rest of his kind, leaving Mitchie to stand there, frozen.

Her father came out of the castle, looking around in horror at the wreckage that was his village. He caught sight of his daughter, and stared her down.

Mitchie glanced at him, then back in the direction that Shane had fled, the sight of his glowing, golden eyes flickering in her mind.

* * *

R & R!


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Same as always!**

I am SO sorry about the wait. Stupid school, making me delay my readers. D:

Well, to make up for it, I made this chapter slightly long. It goes a little inside Shane's life and, uh, a little Mitchie sadness.

Enjoy!

* * *

Shane sat on his bed, resting his chin in his hand and looking out the window. No matter how hard he tried, his mind constantly wandering back to Mitchie. He couldn't get the image of her hurt expression out of his head. It frustrated him to no end. She was only a human. So what if she helped him? It didn't mean that he had to care for her.

But he did care. And damn it all, he didn't want to leave her.

However, when your people and kin come to rescue you, you don't really have a choice in the matter.

Shane groaned and flipped himself down on his bed, closing his eyes. _'Damn woman and her god damned charm.'_ He thought, breathing heavily through his nose. He wondered what she was doing right now. He wondered if she was thinking about him like he was thinking about her.

'_Doubt it.'_ He thought.

There was a soft knock at the door, making Shane open his eyes. Not bothering to sit up, Shane called, "Come in,"

Shane heard the door open swiftly. He opened his eyes instantly as the person quickly ran over to his bed and jumped on him. Shane grunted in slight pain and looked down to see his youngest brother, Trevor, staring up at him with large eyes.

"Big brother!" he shouted, hugging Shane tight, "I was so scared when you were captured! I didn't know what those people would do to you! If I had the chance, I would've crossed the boundary and—"

"No you wouldn't," Shane interrupted, staring at his brother with serious eyes, "If you had, you would've been caught. I don't want you ever going near that boundary, you hear me?"

Trevor pouted and looked away, "Yeah, yeah, I know…" he mumbled, "I was just scared for you."

Shane stared down at his brother and sighed, "It's fine, Trev," he said, petting Trevor's head, "To be honest, I probably would've done, or well, thought, of doing the same thing."

Trevor looked up at his brother, touched by his words. "You would really?" he asked.

Shane smiled, ruffling his hair, "Of course. You're my brother, therefore I'm obligated to protect you, whatever it takes." He stated. Rolling Trevor off of him and allowing him to stand, Shane watched him, "You didn't just come up here to greet me hello, did you?" he questioned knowingly.

Trevor scratched the back of his head, "Uh, well…" he murmured hesitantly, "Dad wants to see you in the council hall."

Shane sighed, _'Of course he does,'_ he thought. Though his father wasn't much of a problem to him, he knew how overly protective he was of his sons. As much as Shane loved him, he didn't feel like getting a lecture on how to be careful in these woods that he grew up in.

Shane stood up, straightened his snug dark, woolen tunic, and made his way out of his room, his younger brother following closely behind him. Down the long halls and stairways he went until he reached the large doors of the council hall. Placing his hands flat on the steel doors, he pushed them open effortlessly.

In the middle of the room stood his father, looking as if he had been talking to the council around him. Upon Shane's arrival, he paused and turned. With a weary but genuine smile, he greeted his son, "Hello Shane, I'm glad you're doing well."

Shane nodded in return, "You wanted to see me?" he asked.

"I did," his father replied, then turned to the council, "I'm sorry for the interruption, but I would like to speak with my son alone. We will continue our discussion at a later time. I hope you all understand."

The council all nodded and murmured in understanding as they slowly stood and made their way out of the room, leaving Shane, Trevor, and their father.

"Come, I'll speak with you in my study," Shane's father said, then glanced at his youngest, "Trevor, would you mind leaving your brother and I to speak?"

Trevor smiled, "Sure! Bye Shane!" he called as he jogged off.

Shane smiled in his brother's direction before following his father into the study. The wooden door, with the words 'LORD PAUL'S STUDY' carved onto it, was pushed open, and the two headed inside.

As Shane closed the door behind him, he heard his father speak, "My son, I hope you realize how worried I was about you those past few days."

Shane sighed, "Yes, father, I believe I am aware," he replied, "If you hadn't been, you wouldn't have sent others to retrieve me."

His father breathed a weary sigh, running a hand through his gray hair, "That was a last resort," he admitted, "I truly did not want to go to that extent, but I did not want you to die there like that."

The older man sat down in a chair, rubbing his forehead, "Now I fear that we have started an unwanted war among the humans…something I never wanted to do." He said sadly.

"We started? You know just as well as I that we did not start anything!" Shane exclaimed, confused and angered at his father's statement, "That wretched king is who started everything! We have done nothing but obey his ridiculous rules, and yet he uses his sick trickery to come up with ways to accuse us, that scum."

"Shane—" His father began, but was quickly interrupted.

"No, I don't want to hear your pity towards that man!" Shane growled, "He deserves nothing."

Shane's father sighed once more, "Perhaps he doesn't, but what about the others? What about the other humans?" he asked. Shane hesitated, briefly thinking of Mitchie. "What about those with children? Do you really want to bring war to the innocent eyes of young humans?"

Shaking the thoughts of Mitchie out of his head, Shane snarled, "I myself do not, but I can no longer stand to tolerate that twisted king's brutality." He responded, "He started this war, and I will not stand here and watch as he tears this country apart."

"…As you say, my son," the fatigued old man replied, unable to come up with a reasonable response, "You are my only willing heir…don't forget that."

Shane huffed and was about to speak when there was a knock at the door, "Sir King Paul?"

Shane's father looked towards the door, "Come in."

The door opened, revealing Sander, one of Shane and his father's many slaves, "One of the council members wishes to speak with you. He says it cannot wait." He said.

The king exhaled, "I suppose. Give me a few minutes and I'll be done here."

Sander nodded and disappeared from the doorway. Turning his attention back to his son, the king said, "I also wanted to ask…how did you survive? Did they feed you? I feared that you had already perished."

Shane felt his cheeks flush and looked away. "Umm," he mumbled, thinking over his words, "I was…assisted."

His father raised an eyebrow curiously, "…Assisted? I did think they would ever assist prisoners."

Sighing, Shane elaborated, "Well, no…I mean, a woman came and helped me…she fed me and gave me water."

"A woman, you say?" The king asked, interested. He stood and walked over to his alcohol shelf, pouring himself a glass. "How odd," he remarked, "I would've thought that they'd keep that place locked down."

"A-ahhh…" Shane stammered, mentally cursing himself for stumbling over his words, "She wasn't just any woman…she, um…" Shane coughed, "…she happens to be the other king's daughter."

The king, who had been about to drink, paused. He looked at his son, who was looking away. "His…daughter?" he asked, surprised. Shane nodded silently.

"Hmm," he said, "very interesting."

**-xXx-**

Mitchie sat on her bed, legs curled up close to her chest. It was getting dark outside, and yet she hadn't moved from that spot since she woke up this morning. It was almost midnight, and Mitchie felt like getting up, grabbing meat and water and heading down to the dungeon to feed Shane like she always had and maybe get to know him a little.

But he was gone. He had left with his kind.

He had left her here.

Mitchie gave a soft whimper and pulled her legs closer to her body. Why was she having such a hard time letting him go? She had only known him for, what, a week and a half? What was so special about him?

'_Everything.' _She thought. _'Everything was special.'_

After a few minutes, she heard the midnight bell ring. Abruptly, she stood up from the bed, barefoot and without a robe, and walked out of her room.

Two minutes later, she found herself standing in the dirty dungeon cell that Shane used to occupy. Her feet were caked with grime, and goose bumps had appeared visibly upon her arms from the nightly chill. Mitchie stared at the wall, the silver chains hanging limply, the cuffs missing completely.

She stared at it for a minute straight, before tears flooded her eyes and began to fall. "Why…?" she asked quietly.

A choked cry left her lips as more tears fell from her eyes, "Why would you leave me here?" she all but screamed, pounding on the stone wall in front of her, "After all I've done, why? _**Why**_?"

Mitchie continued to cry, and slid down the wall and onto her knees. "…Stupid…" she mumbled quietly, her nails clawing gently at the wall.

There, she cried herself to sleep, cold, dirty, and alone.

From the tiny, barred window, golden eyes watched, full of sorrow and regret.

'_Pain…'_ Shane thought quietly, leaving before anyone could see him, _'that's all she'll ever know if she knew me…just more pain…'_

_

* * *

_

_R & R!  
_


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Same as always!**

ACKKK. Alright, this chapter is ridiculously short, but that's only because it's a bit of a filler. I promise, promise, that after this, it'll get better. More action, and more Mitchie&Shane.

I'm so sorry for the long waiting periods also. I will make up for them; please don't lose interest in this! :(

* * *

Mitchie groaned softly, shifting on the soft surface she lied upon. Her head hurt from crying so much, and her eyes felt extremely puffy.

Wait…soft surface…

Mitchie shot up off her bed, looking around, alarmed. She heard a quiet chuckle and turned to see her servant, Rivera, approaching the bed. "You are so lucky I heard you yelling and carried you up here before anyone else found you," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed, "Why and what were you doing down there anyway?"

The king's daughter looked away from Rivera's worried eyes. "Nothing important…" Mitchie mumbled quietly, rubbing her arms up and down.

"Nothing important? Mitchie, you went into the slept in the dungeon in nothing but your evening gown! Not even a peasant or slave would do such a thing!" Rivera exclaimed, "Mitchie…what's wrong?"

When Mitchie didn't answer, Rivera sighed, "Is it the Lycan?"

Judging by the way the young princess visibly shivered, the servant knew that she had gotten her answer. "I just don't understand, Mitchie," Rivera said, reaching up to rub Mitchie's arm, "While you know I don't have anything against their kind, I just can't understand how one Lycan can do this to you. You can't continue on like this. He's just a Lycan and—"

"His name is Shane."

Rivera blinked, "What?" she asked.

Mitchie interlaced her fingers and let them lie on her lap, "His name is Shane," she repeated, and felt her lip begin to tremble, "…and I miss him."

Mitchie clutched her hands a little tighter, "I miss him," she repeated, tears starting to fall down her face, "He listened to me. He knows things that I haven't told anyone else," she glanced up at Rivera, "not even you."

"He made me feel safe, even as he was chained up like he was," she continued, "and…when I was with him…" Mitchie took her hand and placed it over her mouth to keep from crying out, before removing it to speak once again, "when I was with him…I felt free; free to do and say whatever I wanted without being judged or criticized."

"I wanted him to stay," she whispered, "I needed him to stay. But he left, leaving a war to start…and me behind."

Rivera held her master and friend as she sobbed heavily into her hands.

"He didn't even say goodbye…"

**-xXx-**

Shane sat at his desk; elbows propped up, fingers interlaced, and his chin resting on his hands. His mind had been running wild ever since he checked up on the girl he couldn't stop thinking about. He had already felt guilty for leaving her in that hellhole, but after seeing her that night, the guilt was unbearable. His furiously beating heart was heavy, making his stomach ache, and because of that, he had lost the majority of his large appetite.

What was going to happen between them? How long was this dreadful feeling last?

'_Temporary,'_ Shane thought, _'It's just temporary…give it a few days…maybe it'll go away then…'_

Maybe.

Shane groaned loudly and dropped his head down on his desk, wincing at the slight pain. This girl was driving him crazy.

"What's with you?"

Startled, Shane snapped his head up and looked towards his door, eyes wide. He sighed of relief when he saw it was only his eldest brother, Jason.

"Nothing," he replied, twisting around in the chair to pop his back, "Just thinking."

Jason raised an eyebrow, "Since when do you think?" he teased.

Shane glared, "Since when do you?"

Jason opened his mouth to retort back, but closed it. "Good point." He mumbled, then walked towards Shane's bed, sitting on it, "Anyway, what were you thinking about?"

"…Nothing." Shane lied.

Jason rolled his eyes, "Come on, dude, you can't be doing and thinking nothing."

"You do it all the time."

"Well, I-…that's only me. You don't do that though, I know you. I'm your brother."

Shane sighed, "Fine. It's a girl, okay? I'm thinking about a girl."

Instantly, Jason's eyes narrowed, "You're not sleeping with one of those special peasants again, are you?" he asked suspiciously.

Shane's eyes widened almost comically, "NO!" he shouted, his cheeks flushing. He felt ashamed as he thought back to his previous activities from months ago. After meeting Mitchie, he couldn't possibly do those things again.

Wait. _'What the fuck…no, I didn't…'_

Shane gave a frustrated growl and dropped his head into his hands. Jason gave him a weird look, "Shay, seriously," he said, now wanting answers, "What girl has got you so…blah?"

"Her name is Mitchie." Shane replied slowly, the girl's name rolling off his tongue and out of his lips with a subtle trace of sadness, "And I miss her."

* * *

And I have to say, I don't exactly like how I wrote this chapter, either. But, like I said, it's only a filler.

R & R!


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** Same as always!

Again, I apologize for the wait. Longer chapter, though.

Hope you like. :)

* * *

Rivera raised her hand, knocking gently on her master's door. "Mitchie?" she called, sighing as she received no response. Placing her hand on the handle, she cautiously pushed it open, stepping inside. Looking around, she found Mitchie sitting in a chair on the balcony, back towards the doorway.

Closing the door behind her, she walked towards the royal girl slowly. Hearing the door close, Mitchie just barely moved her head to the side. Rivera breathed a quiet sigh of relief, _'Well, at least she's alive…'_ she thought.

"Is there something you wanted…?" Mitchie asked, her voice so soft that Rivera just barely heard her.

Rivera fidgeted, now very uncomfortable with the orders she was given. "Well…" she started, reaching a hand up to place on Mitchie's arm, "I was told to—oh my god, Mitchie!"

The servant's hand immediately drew back, surprised at the ice-cold temperature. "Mitchie, you're freezing!" Rivera exclaimed, "Where is your robe?"

"I threw it out."

"What? Why would you throw it out?"

"It smelled like him."

"Smelled like who—oh. Oh…"

There was an awkward silence between the two friends. "Mitchie…" Rivera said softly, piecing her master's behavior together, "Did you…love that lycan? Oh, er, um…I mean, Shane?"

Mitchie stiffened at the name of the absent man. Rivera's eyes widened, "Mitchie!" she gasped, astounded, "You've only known him for, what, two weeks! You can't be that hooked on someone can you? Man or lycan!"

"I don't know if I love him yet," Mitchie whispered, shivering, "All I know is that I want him around me, to talk to me, to…to hold me…"

Rivera's eyes softened and just as she was about to speak, the king's daughter interrupted, "What did you come here for, Rivera?"

"O-oh, um…" Rivera started, feeling nervous again, "…Your father wants to see you."

For two minutes straight, there was silence between the two. A cool wind passed by, gently blowing Mitchie's flat, frizzy hair. Rivera, feeling increasingly uneasy by the silence, spoke, "Mitchie, I—"

Mitchie suddenly stood from her chair, quieting her servant. Just as silent as before, she walked away from the balcony, slipped on her slippers, and walked out of the room without a word.

Rivera stared after her, worry filling her heart. For days now, she had watched her master and best friend sink down into this state. Mitchie's eyes were dull brown, rather than the vibrant ruby-chocolate they used to be. Her dark hair was unruly and tangled, due to her lack of brushing it or taking care of it at all. She hadn't eaten in days, and was slowly becoming thinner and thinner.

If things continued the way it was, Mitchie wouldn't survive the next month.

Rivera shivered as another wind blew by. Her friend was dying, and she really didn't know what to do.

**-xXx-**

"I told you, Michelle, I told you!" Dante exclaimed, anger ringing through his voice, "Those beasts…storming through our lands like it's their own…they're nothing but monsters!"

Mitchie stood quietly before him, her attention out the window. She was barely listening to her fathers rant at all. She knew he was lying, so what was the point?

"—All these years, we've let them run like the animals they are. It's time for some authority to be placed into this reckless world."

Her father continued, and before she even knew what she was doing, she was walking out of her father's room. Dante paused, watching her, before speaking again, "Excuse me, Michelle, where are you going?"

Mitchie didn't answer, and ignored her father's yells even further as she continued to walk out of the castle.

She wasn't really sure where she was going, but her feet kept walking. Passing all the villagers, ignoring their greetings, she walked into the forest.

For the longest time, Mitchie's eyes stayed, almost unaware of where she was going. After a few minutes, she stopped, and finally looked up to see where she had gone.

A small gap, approximately a foot wide, separated the lush forest. She knew this place; she knew it by heart.

It was the boundary line.

Mitchie stared at the small gap. It was such a small space, and yet, if crossed, there was a huge consequence. At least, there was for Lycans who crossed. No human had been punished severely for crossing the line, so far as she'd known. All she had heard was that they were given a warning, but of course some villagers would lie and state that they were attacked or threatened.

It was disgraceful.

Sighing, Mitchie turned on her heel and walked to her left, down a path only she knew.

Within minutes, she found herself in a clearing near the edge of a cliff. The view was wondrous, but the fall to the ground was definitely fatal. Yet, Mitchie never worried about the height. This was her safe zone. It was a free territory since her father had yet to find this place. Because of that fact, she came here as often as she could to take her mind off of things.

That is, before she met Shane.

Shivering at his name, Mitchie dropped down onto her knees, ignoring the pain as the gravel scratched her skin. Her stomach growled loudly, and she whimpered in response. She was starving, but refused to eat anything that was made in that castle. She refused to eat anything that cruel monster she had once called her father ate.

'_Why? Why did everything have to turn out this way?'_ Mitchie thought miserably to herself, feeling tears run down her already numb cheeks, _'Why did I have to meet Shane? Why did my father have to capture him? Why did my mother have to die like that?'_

Mitchie sobbed, her throat aching terribly from the constant crying she had done the past few days.

"I just want it to end…" she whimpered to herself.

**-xXx-**

Shane grumbled to himself as he trudged through the forest. His strength, his awareness, his speed…all of it was getting weaker all because of that girl. _'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid,' _he constantly repeated in his head, gritting his teeth in frustration, 'Get out of my fucking head, goddamn it.'

Groaning, Shane rubbed his eyes. This was getting tiring. But, as much as wanted to, he couldn't make himself hate her for what she was doing to him. No, he didn't want to hate her either. He just wanted her here.

He just wanted her here.

'_Damn it.'_ Shane thought, letting out a frustrated sigh. As he neared the boundary for his daily lookout job, he paused, smelling a human nearby. It smelled familiar; it wasn't any guard or random villager, he knew that for sure. What was it?

Cautiously, Shane followed the scent, determined to find out whom it was he smelled and why they smelled so familiar. Following his nose, he was led into a clearing. Shane blinked, _'Since when was there a clearing here?'_ he wondered. Looking around, his eyes widened as they set down on the one girl that had been running through his mind since the day he left.

Her shoulders were trembling. He couldn't tell if it was because of the chilly weather or if she was crying. He figured both, and cursed himself. Was she still crying about him? It pained his heart to hear her gasps and cries. Nothing good ever came out from his actions; he knew that now.

Suddenly, Mitchie stood. Shane watched her from behind, wondering what she was doing. She took a few steps forward, her head turned down. Shane's eyes widened again. _'She isn't gonna…'_ Shane thought quietly to himself, _'No…she wouldn't…'_

A few seconds ticked by, and just when Shane was convinced she wasn't going to do it, she leaned forward and fell.

"Goddamn it, Mitchie!" Shane exclaimed, rushing forward and jumping after her.

**-xXx-**

The world seemed to slow down as Mitchie's feet left the ground. Her eyes closed as stray tears made their way down her face. She didn't want it to end this way. She didn't want to leave the friends and villagers she cared for. She didn't want to leave Shane here.

But, it's what he had done to her. What else could she do now?

She suddenly felt pressure on her waist, like something was grasping her tightly. Mitchie clenched her eyes tighter.

"No…" she murmured quietly, "…let me die."

"The hell I will!"

Mitchie's eyes snapped open at the voice, just as she suddenly stopped in midair.

Above her, Shane groaned. In one arm, he held her firmly to his side, while his other arm was occupied grasping a rock formation with his elongated claws. Blood dripped down from his nails as he struggled to hang on.

Mitchie looked up, her eyes wide in shock. She blinked as his blood dripped a little on her forehead. "Sh-Shane…?" she whispered.

Shane glanced down at her, meeting her bloodshot eyes. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the cliff. He growled lowly and clenched his teeth as he slowly climbed back up the large cliff, leaving a trail of blood from his hands.

Once he had made it back up, he lifted Mitchie up and set her on the ground safely in a lying down position before he himself jumped back onto solid land.

Mitchie watched as he grasped his bloodied hand, groaning in slight pain as his claws retracted. Like she had all these days, tears began to fill her eyes.

"Stop," Shane said curtly, "I'm fine. I'll heal. Stop crying."

Mitchie managed to hold back her tears, but her breaths remained shallow, as if she was crying without tears. Shane sighed, and glanced at her, "Are you insane?" he asked lowly, "What in the world were you thinking?"

Mitchie didn't say a word. She just continued staring at him, the one face she had yearned to see for all this time. Hearing no response from her, Shane crawled towards her, "Hey, did you hear me?" he asked, his voice a little louder. He was hovering over her now, staring down at her.

Just then, he noticed it. He noticed how pale she was, how thin she had become…if she hadn't been staring up at him and breathing like she was, he could easily mistake her for dead.

He blinked, his tone softening, "Mitchie…" he whispered, "What happened to you…?"

Mitchie's bottom lip trembled. She opened her mouth, "You left me." She said shakily, her voice barely above a whisper, "You left me here…"

Shane's heart ached as he watched this girl he had quickly come to care for fall to pieces like she was, all because of him.

For what seemed like eternity, Shane contemplated what words he would say to her. He would say that he had no choice in the matter, but no. He had a choice, and he chose to leave her there in that hellhole. He could say that he didn't care to take her with him, that her damned father would start a revolt for 'kidnapping' his daughter. But, in all honesty, Shane wouldn't have cared. As long as Mitchie was with him, he would be fine.

So why didn't he take her with him?

"…I'm sorry." Shane mumbled, wanting to bang his head into a tree for his lame excuse for an apology. That's it? That's all he could come up with for all of the obvious pain he had put her through?

Shane suddenly flinched when he felt something wet drop on the back of his neck. He looked up and cursed as rain started to fall from the dark sky above.

Looking down at Mitchie, he spoke, "You…I-I…I need to get you back…"

Mitchie's eyes widened, "N-no! No!" she shouted, shaking her head.

Shane sighed in frustration, "Mitchie…"

"I said no!" she yelled, reaching up and clutching his dark tunic tightly, pulling him down onto her.

Rain fell onto Shane's back as she held him close to her, crying quietly. "P-please…" she whispered quietly, "…don't leave me again."

Shane breathed through his nose harshly, irritated by her behavior. With his good hand, he touched her face gently, tilting her chin up to meet his eyes. "Mitchie, you have to listen to me," he stated strongly, "I can't take you right now."

Mitchie whimpered, "But Shane, I—"

"Let me finish." Shane growled, sighing as he quieted himself, "I can't take you right now. But I promise you, when the time comes…when you need me the most…I will be there. I will be there, and I will take you with me."

Mitchie bit her lip, holding back her cries at his words. Softly, Shane lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, and grasped her legs to wrap them around his waist. He stood up, his arm holding her close against him as she shivered from the rain, his good hand embedded in her damp hair, and began to run to her village in the dark, hoping not to be seen.

"But, Shane…" He heard her whimper quietly in his ear, "…I do need you…I need you now…"

Shane sighed, still running, "I know," he replied, ignoring the sharp drops of rain as they whipped at his face, "Just live a little longer for me, Mitchie. I promise, I'll be back."

**-xXx-**

By the time Shane had reached her balcony window, Mitchie was fast asleep. Walking to her bed, he gently laid her down, putting the covers over her. He stared at her sleeping face, her eyes red and puffy from crying and the moonlight making it appear as if she were glowing, just like it had when he had first met her. A broken angel, that's what she looked like.

He sighed, caressing her cheek gently. Hesitating, only for a second, Shane leaned down, and softly brushed his lips against her chapped ones. Pulling away after only a few seconds, he froze as he heard the door to her room open.

Slowly, he looked up and noticed a young, blonde woman staring at him at the doorway. She wasn't wearing anything too nice looking, so he figured that for her to have access to the castle, she must be a slave.

Shane continued to stare, unsure of what to do. He had never killed a human before, nor did he really want to. She didn't look threatening at all, but she could start screaming at any moment, and he didn't feel like getting captured again.

Just then, to his surprise, she walked into the room. Heading to a cupboard, she pulled out a long cloth, and walked to Mitchie's side, draping it over her to dry her. The servant never looked up, but spoke in a quiet voice, "She cares a lot about you, you know."

Shane stared at the young woman before him as she dried Mitchie. Leaving once again, the servant pulled out another cloth, and handed it to Shane. "I know you'll probably leave soon," the servant continued, "But, just know…that you're hurting her by doing so."

"She may be my master, but she is also my friend. So…so if something happens to her…" The servant swallowed, "You will pay, somehow or another."

Shane stared at the servant's cloth, before taking it. He hung it over his head, and glanced at Mitchie again. "Believe me," he said, staring at Mitchie's beautiful face, "This…will be the last time I ever abandon her. I will return for her."

The servant looked up at Shane, her eyes full of hope, "Make that time soon," she said, "She needs it, she needs you."

"I know she does," Shane responded, turning towards the balcony, "And it will be soon. Nothing can stop me now."

And with that, he jumped out the balcony.

Rivera ran to the balcony, watching as he ran through the sleeping village and into the forest. She breathed quietly, looking back at Mitchie's sleeping form.

'_Please be back soon.'_ She thought, walking back inside the room and closing the balcony doors.

* * *

_R & R !_


	11. Chapter 10

**Oh. My. God.**

**I am so sorry! I totally forgot about this. I will try my hardest to update this as frequently as I can now. Again, I am so, so sorry.**

**No Shane in this chapter, but still, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

The book in Mitchie's lap sat unopened as the young woman stared into the distance, sitting at the table on her balcony. Her appearance was much healthier than it had been a few days ago when she had come across Shane again. She had started eating again and doing everything else almost like she had before. Though she was still saddened by his absence, his words had stuck with her.

"…_I promise you, when the time comes…when you need me the most…I will be there. I will be there, and I will take you with me."_

"When I need him the most…" Mitchie whispered quietly to herself. She sighed, picking her book up and setting it down on the table. She put her elbow on the table and leaned on her hand, closing her eyes to think. It was difficult to imagine a time when she would need him more than she did right now. She _needed_ him to take her away from this place. She _needed _him to talk to when she had to vent. She _needed_ to know him. She _needed _to have him with her, to keep her safe.

But, those needs could easily be replaced by want. What she really needed was freedom, and that was what Shane was to her. **Freedom**.

"Mitchie?"

Startled, Mitchie jumped at looked back at the doorway, smiling softly as she recognized her servant, Rivera, standing there. "Are you okay?" Rivera asked concernedly, walking to the table and sitting down on the chair besides her master. Mitchie wanted to lie, but found it futile after remembering how she had broken down to Rivera about her feelings towards Shane.

"No," Mitchie sighed, "I just…I don't want to be here. I love the people, and I consider you as my closest friend, but I…I've grown tired of all of this fighting. I don't want to see it anymore. I want it to end."

Rivera nodded, understanding where Mitchie was coming from. "I don't enjoy the violence either," she responded, "but you do know why your father is doing all this, don't you?"

Mitchie huffed, "I suppose. But still…this is just too much. Besides, I…I don't believe that lycan killed her…my mother. I remember its eyes…" Mitchie found herself in a short flashback, picturing the face and the sorrow-filled blue eyes. Snapping out of her thoughts, Mitchie turned to Rivera, "You didn't just come up here to chat with me, did you?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Rivera looked sheepish, "Well, I _did_ want to know how you were feeling," she laughed quietly, "But um, well…Prince Augustine is on his way here. He wishes to court you."

Mitchie groaned, dropping her head down on the table. Rivera giggled at her master, putting a hand over her mouth to quiet herself, "That's five outings you've had with him now! He really likes you." The servant said after silencing her laughter.

"No, really?" Mitchie mumbled sarcastically, "I couldn't tell."

Rivera smiled knowingly, "You don't like him, do you?"

Lifting her head up, Mitchie rubbed the bridge of her nose, "I, well…he's a very nice gentleman," she answered, "But he has the same opinions as my father and I…I just…I could never love a man that's like my father. Never."

"I understand, but…does this also have anything to do with Shane?"

Mitchie froze at the name. Rivera sighed, "Mitchie, I really—"

"Even if I had never met Shane, I could never fall in love with Augustine," Mitchie interrupted strongly, then added quietly, "not truly, anyway."

Staring at her for a moment, Rivera sighed, standing up, "Well, you might as well get ready. There isn't much you can do here right now besides read—" Rivera glanced at the unopened book, "—which you are obviously not doing,—and watch over the village. Come now, I've brought another dress for you."

Deciding that her servant was right, Mitchie reluctantly stood up and followed her servant, leaving the _Romeo and Juliet_ novel sitting on the smooth stone table, unopened and unread.

**-xXx-**

Mitchie followed the young prince around his fortress, her expression both bored and pained. The heels she'd been wearing for the past four hours were beginning to constrict her blood flow, or so it felt, and the corset she was wearing seemed even tighter than it had before. She suddenly regretted rejecting Augustine's suggestion from earlier before to have a servant bring her slippers and loosen her corset.

Augustine was giving her a grand tour of his large estate, seeming proud of each room he showed her, including the lavatories, oddly enough. Just as they entered what seemed to be the fortieth guest room, she choked out, "Prince Augustine,"

Augustine turned around to look at her, and smiled sympathetically, "Would you like to take up my offer now?" he asked. Mitchie blushed and nodded meekly, causing the prince to chuckle lightly. "It's no burden Michelle, if that's what you think," he assured as he caught her almost guilty expression, "My servants treat me well, so I make sure that I do the same. They do not mind caring for a guest," Augustine scanned Mitchie with a smile, "especially one as beautiful and kind as you."

Blushing still, Mitchie watched as Augustine notified a guard for a few of his servants. Two females walked in barely a few minutes later, one carrying the soft slippers Mitchie's feet were almost screaming for and the other one to loosen her corset. As the two servants did their work, Augustine spoke, "This is, I believe, our fifth outing together now, am I correct?"

Mitchie looked up and blinked, "Um, yes. This is our fifth outing. Why do you ask?"

Augustine smiled, almost shyly, his green eyes sparkling, "I'm just trying to keep up with everything. It's been, I suppose, a short time that I've known you, and yet it seems like longer."

Mitchie smiled, "Yes, it seems like that," she responded, watching as the servants finished their work and left the room. By now, if she had been any other village woman, she would've been head-over-heels in love with this man. He was wealthy, charming, handsome, and not to mention kind, which seemed rare amongst other princes she had met before. If his opinions had been different, and maybe…if she had not met Shane, she would've been smitten just as other women were. But she wasn't, and she felt guilty for it, like she was leading him on.

"Mitchie?"

The young princess looked up, startled that he had used her nickname. Noticing this, Augustine bit his lip, "Sorry, I hope you don't mind me using that name. I thought it might make you feel more comfortable." He explained.

Mitchie shook her head, "No, it's quite alright. I just wasn't expecting it is all," she reassured, "Were you speaking to me? I apologize for dazing out; I was just thinking about other things."

Augustine smiled, "It's alright. What I was saying was that I…I've grown to like you very much, Mitchie." He said steadily, "I mean, I was attracted to you from the start, but combined with your personality it…it just…" he sighed, looking up at her with admiring eyes, "you're a true beauty, my princess, a true, rare beauty."

Mitchie blushed, "Oh Augustine, that's…that's very kind of you to say, thank you." She stammered. Whether or not she could love him, she still found the words touching.

"No need to thank me, Mitchie," Augustine responded, still smiling, "You've been raised in royalty, and yet you stay grounded and modest. You show kindness to people who normally don't receive it." Augustine looked down at her slipper-clad feet, his smile growing wider, "and here you stand, as a guest in this royal palace, wearing slippers and a corset-less dress in front of her courter."

Mitchie's face remained red, not knowing exactly what the prince was getting at but was nervous nonetheless. He took her hand gently, "I said before that I've grown to like you very much," he began again, "However, I believe I must rephrase that sentence."

Taking a breath, Augustine looked up and captured her eyes once more, "I have fallen in love with you, Mitchie."

Mitchie felt her breath hitch. She suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe, even without the corset. Her eyes widened as he dropped down to a knee.

"You have captured my mind and heart in your web of kindness and reserve, and normally, I would have many people be here to witness this. Normally, I would have an orchestra here, playing a wondrous tune to emphasize my love, but I know that you would not want that." He stated, still smiling with that joyous smile of his, "So what I am asking for, Mitchie, in this one little, secluded room, with just the two of us, is for your courtship. What I am asking for is for our hearts to unite in the sacred ceremony of love. My love, my princess, my lady…will you marry me?"

Mitchie's mouth was dry. Her hands were shaking. She felt the sweat that had begun to form beneath her gloves and under her hairline. Her lips trembled as she tried to reply, "I…I-I…"

* * *

_R & R! Oh, and Happy New Year! 2011!_

**_Note: I know Romeo & Juliet may not have been written in medieval times, but humor me, will you? ;)_**


	12. Chapter 11

One review on last chapter...oh dear, I hope I haven't lost all my readers! D: Well, thank you **TheSunday** for reviewing and staying with me.3

Here's the next chapterrr. Hope you like. :)

* * *

Shane stood before his father, arms crossed, waiting impatiently for his father's reply to his statement. Lord Paul, seated in his large chair, stared up at his middle son, silent. Jason, who had entered right before Shane had spoken, stood awkwardly at the entry way, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two. After what seemed like forever, Paul sighed, "You realize what she is to the humans, do you not?"

The middle son resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "Father, I know—"

"I'm not quite sure you do, Shane," Paul interrupted, rubbing his forehead tiredly, "She is a princess, Shane, a person, human, of royalty. And not just any royalty, but the royalty that wants us all exterminated.

"Along with that, many of our people are distrustful and even afraid of humans in general. To suddenly bring a human to the territory could cause some problems."

Paul finished speaking and looked up at his son, waiting for a response. Shane exhaled quietly, "I am aware of this, father," he said in a soft voice, "I of all people should know. I've our people die at the hands of the humans. I know what they have done to our kind and how they've affected us."

When Shane looked up, Paul found his eyes widening in shock. For once, instead of arrogance in his son's eyes, there was sincerity.

"But there is nothing that they should be worried about, me bringing her here. She cared for me when I needed it, and has spoken nothing but kind words about us. Leaving her, like I did, drained her to point that I never want to see again. If she stays there any longer, I—" Shane paused, pursing his lips to keep back what he was going to say. He sighed, shaking his head, "She'll be under my supervision and responsibility at all times. Mitchie, she's…she's different, father."

Paul stared at Shane, breathing softly. For a moment, he pictured Shane as he was years ago, a child, crying at his lap in despair after hearing the news about his mother. He remembered how Shane had looked up at him, innocent eyes full of grief, asking why his beloved mother had to be taken away. And now those eyes…they held something that Paul couldn't quite interpret.

"…You care about this girl a lot, don't you?" Paul asked, though it sounded more like a statement.

Shane took a silent breath, his eyes revealing his answer.

After a short but antagonizing moment, Paul sighed, "…Don't do anything reckless, please."

Shane looked down, hiding the small smile on his lips at his father's acceptance, "I'll try."

A small _'creak'_ was heard from the back, turning the two's attention towards Jason, who was still standing in the back. "I'm sorry, son, did you want something?" Paul asked his eldest.

Jason blinked, obviously trying to remember why he went there in the first place, "Oh! Right, um, Uncle Brown's here. He wants to talk to you." He said, relieved that he didn't make a fool out of himself this time.

Paul smiled, "Of course, bring him back here."

Jason nodded, shooting Shane a curious glance, before leaving the room. Shane was about to follow when his father spoke up again, "I hope you know that I trust you, Shane," he said.

Shane nodded his understanding, "I know, father. I know."

Paul watched as his middle son left, sighing through his nose and turning towards the painting on the wall of his beautiful wife. _'Eleysa…I pray that I have made the right choice.'_

Shane opened the door, exiting his father's quarters. He stopped several feet away, and turned his head. "How long have you been there?" he asked knowingly, eyeing the shadows in the corner. Shane heard a small hum, before his younger brother, Nate, walked out.

"Long enough." Nate replied in that calm tone that often annoyed Shane, "You're bringing the human princess here?"

"Yes. You're not going to try to stop me, are you?"

Nate scoffed, "No. That'd be pointless. I have more common sense than that."

Shane glared at his brother's almost patronizing demeanor, "Don't you have patients to attend to?"

"Not at the moment. And even if I did, I'd still end up having to check up on your clumsy ass to make sure you aren't doing anything stupid."

Shane growled. Sometimes, he really just wanted to shove something up Nate's ass. But then again, Nate always seemed like there was something up there anyway.

"Anyway, do what you want. I'll be damned if I try to stop you," Nate muttered, starting to walk off, "I have patients to look after."

Shane snarled at his brother's retreating form. He knew that Nate cared, but sometimes, he could really just be an ass.

**-xXx-**

Throwing water on her face, Mitchie fought back a groan. _'He proposed.' _She thought, still in shock, _'He actually proposed.' _

Mitchie had momentarily gotten away from Augustine by excusing herself to the restroom to think. He had respectfully let her do so._ 'Respectfully…damn it,'_ Mitchie cursed mentally, _'Why does he have to be so nice?_' Mitchie looked at herself in the mirror; she didn't think she was _that_ pretty. There were other princesses in other territories, so why her? She could really use Rivera's company right now. She could _really_ use Shane's company right now.

Shane. Fuck, what was she going to do about Shane?

'…_I need to breathe.' _Mitchie decided, drying her face. Exiting the bathroom, she poked her head out and looked down the massive hallways of Augustine's estate. No one. _'Good. Now to find an exit…'_

Tip-toeing down the hall, Mitchie looked around, ducking behind a corner each time she saw someone. After a few minutes, she found a door and did a mental _'huzzah!'_ at her discovery. She walked towards it and opened it quietly, sneaking outside.

Once free, Mitchie inhaled and exhaled deeply. _'That's better.' _She sighed. She looked out to the woods, _'I must've gone through the back way…the front was clearer than this.' _Taking a minute, Mitchie shrugged and walked out towards the forest for a walk. The forest here was a lot thicker than the one near Mitchie's territory, and within minutes, she found herself lost. "Damn it," she mumbled, looking around. It wouldn't do her any good to get lost out here with the bugs and the rats and the—

_Shuffle._

Mitchie froze. _'…What was that?'_

_Shuffle._

Mitchie turned around sharply, seeing a bush shake, but saw nothing. She felt goose bumps prickle her arms. "H-hello…?" she called, feeling nervous, "…is anyone there?"

_Shuffle._

"Who's there?" Mitchie called again, her nervousness now doubled. Whatever was there seemed to be circling her, and fast. Mitchie began to back up, stopped when she bumped into something smooth.

Smooth. She placed her hand out.

Smooth. And cold. Stone cold.

'…_This isn't a tree.' _Mitchie noted shakily, turning around.

Soulless, light blue eyes stared back at her, an amused grin upon its face, "Hello, love."

* * *

_~R & R!_


End file.
